KATHMANDU, July 23: In a program organized by the Federation of Community Forest Users, Nepal in the capital on Saturday, stakeholders of various governmental and non-governmental organizations urged the government to form a local body for the management of community forests.
According to the concerned stakeholders, there is still uncertainty among the local level authorities on the rights and management of the community forest as stated by the constitution. They stressed on the need to formulate and implement the forest laws.
Representatives of various parties assured that the past laws which did not benefit the community should not be implemented and they even promised to make the new laws considering the benefits of the users. They even assured to set the new rules by discussing with the federation.
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Speaking at the program, Ghana Shyam Pandey, chief of Tulsipur Sub- Metropolitan City said, “Co-ordination and co-operation of community forests, local units, province and the centre is very important for the welfare of forests and users.”
Saraswati Khadka, deputy chairperson of Kirtipur Municipality, said, “Local bodies can play a pivotal role in increasing the rights and privileges of the locals, so it will be convenient to hand over the responsibility to them.”
Director General of the Department of Forests Krishna Prasad Acharya said that the department has no objection in handing over the responsibility to the local bodies.
